Ties That Bind
by Maverick Butterfly
Summary: The Dark Knight faces the greatest challenge of his young career...defeat


Ahoy ahoy everybody, Barry here (I know 'Oh my God you actually wrote something!'). I finally got over a severe bout of writer's block long enough to write for a couple hours and this is the result. It's not set within the Nolan-verse, like what Cara and I usually do, instead more of an amalgam of the various versions I personally love, and really lives in it's own universe. It's pretty short, but intentionally so.

Hopefully this is only the first of many updates to come in the near future. Enjoy

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I start moving before I even gave myself a chance to consider it, instinct kicking in and nothing much else seemed to matter. I slip through the crowd, lost among the masses, everyone too busy to notice. I'm too high profile, one slip and this could all be over before it begins. Don't know how I'll explain this to Julie, running out on her like this. It doesn't matter, none of that matters. How did I not see this coming; he had been too quiet lately, he didn't do anything, not even so much as a bank heist for the hell of it. Of course he was waiting for one night, tonight, his only chance to be where I assume he's always wanted to be.

Outside of the big top I find my car, grab my suit case, and scan the area for a place to hide. I spot an empty tent, people too busy running and screaming to notice this well dressed man throwing off his tie and loosening his jacket as he darted into a brightly colored tent. I threw off my jacket, shirt, pants, shoes, no time to be neat. I pull on the tights, the screams grow louder outside, what was happening I can only guess. I pull on my shirt, keeping an eye on the opening to the tent, hoping for some kind of sign of what was going on. The boots come next, then the gloves. It's all become so routine now, more comfortable than putting on a tie. As I wrap the cloak around my shoulders, there's a wave of screams, just barely muffling the sound of a gun being fired. I seal the suitcase, pull the hood over my head, and I run. I leave the belt behind, no time left, I had to get in there.

Everything is a blur, the screams, the cries of 'It's him' and 'Save us'. They aren't the ones I'm saving, they're in the least danger. A clown stands in my way, looking like he was a part of the act, if not for the assault rifle in his hands. He aims at me, he misses. I grab the rifle, I swing it like an all star, and he's face down in the dirt. I throw my fist into another clowns face, white and red smearing over my black glove as it slides across his mouth. I look up and I see him; resting on a trapeze, laughing as he spots me easily dispatching his 'friends'. Another clown thinks he's being smart, thinks he's sneaking up on me. The back of my fist crushing his nose into his face tells him otherwise. No grapple, I have to climb. I jump onto the ladder and make my way up, my heart pounding in my ears. The adrenaline keeps me going, keeps me sharp when others might falter. They were still up there, they needed me.

I reach the tight rope, and I see them. Tied to the very post I just climbed, a man and woman wearing similar circus tights, crying at me to save the boy. Hanging by his fingers on the tight rope is the child, maybe twelve or thirteen. He's petrified, staring up at me with expectant blue eyes. The image is burned into my brain....I'm not going to fail him.

"Ooooh Bats, you're getting sloppy! I've been waiting up here for a good two minutes for you." He laughs, and I hold back the revulsion I feel swelling up every time I hear it. "So you wanna know why I did it?"

"No."

"Awww....not even a leeettle curious?"

"No."

"Party pooper....." I ignore his ramblings and turn towards the couple tied to the post. "Uh uh uh! See this?" I turn to see a remote control in his hand, and my heart sinks. "This, my pointy eared friend, is a remote control for...you guessed it, a bomb. Two, to be precise. One right there..." I look down, and see a small charge at the edge of the platform I'm standing on, next to the rope the boy is holding. "....and aaaaaalll the way down there." I look over the side of the platform I'm standing on, and I can just barely see the blinking light on a large device at the base of the post on ground level.

"...What do you want?" I hate to even ask the question, I won't like the answer.

"I want to watch you squirm! Also I want to do something I've always wanted to do. Here we have mommy and daddy, begging you to save their pwecious whittle boy! Then we have Junior over here, who I'm sure wants to spend plenty more birthdays with his beloved parents." I don't like where this is going, I can smell it coming a mile a way. I have to think of something.

"What I want, Bats...is for you to choose. Ooh hoo hoo! It'll be just like the T.V. shows! I'll play the dastardly villain, and you will be the dark and troubled hero forced to make a heroic sacrifice.....eh, okay so maybe it's not that much different than usual but damn it, we'll have a hell of a time anyway!" I stopped listening a while ago, I don't have much time. He's going to make me choose, and I can't do that. I can save them all, I have to...

"So, who will it be? The cautious parents who let their only child swing from wires waaay above neck breaking height? Or the precocious little boy with a heart of gold and a suicidal death wish? Better think quick, I get bored sooo easily."

I still haven't figured out anything; I don't have my belt, so my options are limited. I'm running out of time, and three people's lives are at stake. Looking into the boys eyes, I couldn't help but see myself, staring in the mirror.

It's raining outside, my eyes are red, and my knuckles are white as my hands grip the sink. I'm supposed to get ready, but I don't want to go. I don't want to see them like this, and some how, I feel as though I can't let them see me. I know they can't and yet I'm still so ashamed...how can I face them after I let them down? Why am I still alive and they aren't? Why?

"TEN!"

My hands shake, my breathing get's heavy...

"NINE!"

My knees feel weak...

"EIGHT!"

My mind is spinning, I can't think...

"SEVEN!"

I can't believe this is happening, I have to think of something, but I can't...

"SIX!"

I don't know what to do...

"....FIVEFOURTHREETWOONE!"

There's a pop, and splinters fly up in front of my face. The wire the boy is hanging onto pulls away, and he begins to fall. Another loud noise, this one shaking the foundation, and I feel the post I'm standing on begin to fall away. My muscles tighten, my breath catches in my chest, and I feel my mind buzzing. I have to act.

I leap from the platform, and begin falling towards the boy. I suddenly realize I don't have my belt, so the grapple is out. As I stare at the ground closing in, I look for anything I can use. I see the high wire falling beside me, and I quickly grab it. I swing in, the boy is almost out of range, I have to time this just right. As I start to pass the boy, I reach out and grab his hand just before he falls out of range. I begin to slide down the wire, the heat on the palm of my glove reminding me why I made them so thick. We hit the ground hard, harder than I planned. I quickly look over the boy, he seems to be fine.

There is a loud crash, and I look over to see the post collapsing, smashing into the now empty stands. The boy screams, and before I can react he's running towards the crash site. I chase after him, but I'm too late. The boy falls to his hands and knees, just as I see his parents, covered in blood, and not breathing. I watch the boy break down into tears, wailing at the sight of his parents. I step up behind him, and suddenly he spins around, running at me.

"Why didn't you save them?! You could have saved them you're always saving people why didn't you save them?!" The boy is in tears, pulling his fists back to swing at me. I catch his fists easily, he instantly folds, collapsing to his knees again. "You're supposed to save people....." I watch him crying, and I remember back to that night. I wonder why I hadn't saved them either. I don't know what to do for him, what can be done? I remember back to that night, what I wanted...what I needed but never got until the pain had started to fade.

Kneeling down beside him, I wrap my arms around him and hold him close. His tears go straight through to my chest as he holds me tightly, crying it all out. As I listened to the distant sound of cackling laughter, for the first time in a long time, I didn't care about chasing him.

Years ago I made a vow to fight people like this, and save people from suffering the same fate as I did.

I failed....


End file.
